The Coldest of Summers
by lotus eaters
Summary: While Amity Park enjoys a sudden winter in July, the lovebirds find a place to keep warm. D/S


The sweltering heat that inevitably came with every summer had hit Amity Park unusually hard this year. With such a high temperature, residents were forced into their homes, unfortunately resulting in an excessive amount of boredom. It wasn't as if the town has much to do anyway, but the summer would've definitely been better spent doing something worthwhile and productive, rather than lying around and playing video games. Or worse – doing homework.

Residents forwarded several of their complaints directly to their new and inexperienced mayor: Tucker Fowley. His time in office had mostly consisted of appeasing small grievances (such as this one), participating in festivals and local holidays, and receiving the occasional notification of a rampant ghost. But he could leave that last one to his half-human, half-ghost friend Danny Fenton, who was now an international hero for saving the earth as Danny "Phantom".

"He gets statues of himself all over the world," Tucker mumbled, "and I'm here doing paperwork. That's hardly fair." But the young mayor was proud of his friend. He couldn't really complain, either, when he had a heroic ghost hybrid as a best friend . . .

. . . Who had ice powers.

And then Tucker's most received complaint was solved.

Danny, sitting in his room, got up and answered the phone.

"Hello, Fentons! This is your amazing mayor, Tu- "

"Tucker, cut it. We know who you are."

Tucker stuttered. "Why – is that any way to speak to an elected official?"

Danny laughed. He was actually quite glad to hear from his buddy; he hadn't had all that much time to hang out, now that he had a job. And – wait.

"Tuck, aren't you supposed to be working? You know – fixing the town's problems, maintaining our safety?"

"Oh, but Danny," his friend said with a laugh, "I am! I'm calling because I actually have a small job for you! Super easy. It'll take, like, five minutes. If that."

Danny sighed. "It's the heat, isn't it?"

"Whoa! How'd you know?"

* * *

After waiting for a group of clouds to conveniently move in front of the blazing sun, Tucker gave Danny the signal. Most, if not all, of the town stood outside of Casper High and watched as Danny Phantom, using his ice powers, created snow, right in the sky above them. The pure white flakes fell and, to everyone's surprise, piled up quickly; it was up to a foot within minutes.

The townspeople, after thanking their mayor and the ghost boy, rushed back to their homes, only to emerge again with gloves, coats, and boots.

A lake sat near the high school, and Tucker turned to Danny, giving him a suggestive look. Rolling his eyes, Danny smiled and granted his friend's unspoken wish. He held out his arms, gathered energy in his palms, and shot off an ice ray large enough to turn the entire lake into a makeshift skating rink.

Amity Park's residents all rejoiced in the improved weather while Danny and Tucker sat on the steps in front of the high school.

"Thanks, dude," Tucker said, clapping a hand on Danny's back.

"'Dude?'" the ghost boy said, laughing. "Did I just hear the mayor call me 'dude?'"

Tucker laughed. He sighed, looking at all the happy faces passing by. He looked down at the pin on his jacket before jolting slightly, as if he suddenly remembered something. He turned to his friend.

"Ah, shoot. Sorry, man," he said. "I completely forgot to take into consideration what you had planned for today."

Danny looked puzzled. "Huh? What are you talking about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Tucker looked just as confused. "You don't remember? Didn't you have a date with Sam or something?"

A small pause passed, and Danny jumped up, gasping. "Oh no. Ah crap, I forgot!" He put his hands in his hair, shaking his head in frustration. "I gotta go, Tuck. I'll see you." And with that, he ran from the stoop, jumped, and flew off into the sky.

"Okay," Tucker began to say, raising his hand to wave, when a snowball hit his face. "Bye."

* * *

They hadn't really discussed the details of their date the last time they talked, but Danny knew where she'd be. Descending to the ground, he changed back to his human form, dropped to the snow below, and walked to the large tree at the top of the hill. He remembered the kiss they shared beneath this tree not too long ago.

"Sam?" he called quietly. "Sam? You here? Sorry I'm late."

"Hey," he heard her voice say, "at least you found me."

He swerved around the tree to see his girlfriend sitting against it in a spot free of snow, bundled up in two jackets, a hat and scarf, and a large blanket.

All black, of course.

Danny smiled and moved to crawl in next to her, bringing his arm around her small frame and tucking the blanket around them both. Sam turned to rest against her boyfriend's chest and nuzzled her face in the crook of his neck. He shivered; not because of the cold, but because of the sudden warmth.

For the next hour, all they did was talk. School, parents, ghost hunting, homework – some subjects frivolous, some interesting.

A comfortable silence eventually fell between them. A few minutes passed before Sam spoke up.

"You know, every time I look at that statue," she said, briefly pointing at the figure down below, "I think about how lucky I am."

"Lucky?" Danny said, turning his head to face her. He raised a brow.

"Well, yeah!" she replied. A faint blush appeared on her pale cheeks, but that could've been the cold air. "It's . . . Not everyone gets to say they're best friends with the one who saved the world." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and looked down, smiling. Danny waited with a thoughtful expression; it seemed she had more to say.

"Well, that, and I don't think anyone in the world is as considerate and _selfless_ as you are."

"What? Selfless? Me?" Danny chuckled at the thought. Sam blushed.

"No, I mean, I've been thinking about it, and it's true. I mean, who else would risk their life to protect a town – a world – that didn't accept them, that refused to show any amount of appreciation? Who would gather their sworn enemies and work with them to _save the earth_?" Sam shook her head, laughing a little. "And look," she said, looking out to the rest of the town and pointing to the falling snow, "you're still making people happy, even if the solution is simple and ultimately useless."

Danny closed his eyes, rested his head on his arms above his bent knees, and laughed.

Sam, confused and surprised, gave a rather unimpressed look. "And what is so funny?"

When he finally regained control of his laughter, he lifted his head and replied, "Nothing, nothing! I just . . . I just didn't know you thought so highly of me, is all." He gave her a reassuring smile. "_I_ don't even think of myself that way."

"Well," Sam began softly, "you should. You don't realize how important you are to the people of Amity Park, even if the crisis-of-the-day is some stupid heat." She smiled back and touched his hand closest to her. He took her hand in his, then removed the black glove, and interwove their fingers.

"You don't realize how important you are to me," Sam concluded.

Hearing these words brought a familiar, but still surprising warmth to his chest. Without hesitation, he leaned forward, slowly inching closer to her smiling face, and closed the gap between them.

They kissed and reveled in each other's warmth while the rest of the town enjoyed the coldest of summers below.


End file.
